Changes of Morphology, Chemical Compositions, and the Biosynthesis Regulations of Cuticle in Response to Chilling Injury of Banana Fruit During Storage

Abstract

The plant cuticle covers almost all the outermost surface of aerial plant organs, which play a primary function in limiting water loss and responding to the environmental interactions. Banana fruit is susceptible to thermal changes with chilling injury below 13°C and green ripening over 25°C. Herein, the changes of surface morphology, chemical compositions of cuticle, and the relative expression of cuticle biosynthesis genes in banana fruit under low-temperature storage were investigated. Banana fruit exhibited chilling injury rapidly with browned peel appearance stored at 4°C for 6 days. The surface altered apparently from the clear plateau with micro-crystals to smooth appearance. As compared to normal ones, the overall coverage of the main cuticle pattern of waxes and cutin monomers increased about 22% and 35%, respectively, in browned banana stored under low temperature at 6 days. Fatty acids (C16–C18) and ω-OH, mid-chain-epoxy fatty acids (C18) dominated cutin monomers. The monomers of fatty acids, the low abundant ω, mid-chain-diOH fatty acids, and 2-hydroxy fatty acids increased remarkably under low temperature. The cuticular waxes were dominated by fatty acids (> C19), n-alkanes, and triterpenoids; and the fatty acids and aldehydes were shifted to increase accompanied by the chilling injury. Furthermore, RNA-seq highlighted 111 cuticle-related genes involved in fatty acid elongation, biosynthesis of very-long-chain (VLC) aliphatics, triterpenoids, and cutin monomers, and lipid-transfer proteins were significantly differentially regulated by low temperature in banana. Results obtained indicate that the cuticle covering on the fruit surface was also involved to respond to the chilling injury of banana fruit after harvest. These findings provide useful insights to link the cuticle on the basis of morphology, chemical composition changes, and their biosynthesis regulations in response to the thermal stress of fruit during storage.

Morphological and antioxidant responses of Nopalea cochenillifera cv. Maya (edible Opuntia sp. “Kasugai Saboten”) to chilling acclimatization

“…Rahman et al ( 2021 ) have examined the role of cuticular waxes in reducing low temperature and dehydration stresses in Arabidopsis mutants and transgenic plants with altered cuticular wax formation, and found that cuticular alkane waxes, along with alcohols and fatty acids, promote the avoidance of both ice formation and leaf water loss under dehydration stress. Banana fruit are sensitive to thermal changes, with cold injury at temperatures below 13 °C and green ripening at temperatures above 25 °C (Huang et al 2021 ). Changes in surface structure, cuticle chemical composition, and relative expression of cuticle biosynthesis genes in banana fruit during cold storage show that the contents of fatty acids and aldehydes in cuticular wax tend to increase with cold injury (Huang et al 2021 ).…”

“…Banana fruit are sensitive to thermal changes, with cold injury at temperatures below 13 °C and green ripening at temperatures above 25 °C (Huang et al 2021 ). Changes in surface structure, cuticle chemical composition, and relative expression of cuticle biosynthesis genes in banana fruit during cold storage show that the contents of fatty acids and aldehydes in cuticular wax tend to increase with cold injury (Huang et al 2021 ).…”

Flexible and Shape‐Morphing Plant Sensors Designed for Microenvironment Temperature Monitoring of Irregular Surfaces

“…And these thermal differences on the surface of the fruits, which are significant indexes in the fruit industry can be delicately captured by the fruit temperature sensor, indicating its promise to reduce production losses and improve fruit quality. [ 65–67 ]…”

“…And these thermal differences on the surface of the fruits, which are significant indexes in the fruit industry can be delicately captured by the fruit temperature sensor, indicating its promise to reduce production losses and improve fruit quality. [65][66][67] Generally, the fruit grows slowly at the beginning, and then gradually accelerates. When it reaches the highest point, it gradually slows down and stops growing.…”

Enhanced Preservation of Climacteric Fruit with a Cellulose Nanofiber-Based Film Coating

“…Bananas are a representative climacteric fruit that is widely cultivated in tropical, subtropical climates and is one of the most consumed fruits for their sweet tastes and flavors in the world. , Since bananas have respiration and ethylene production rates much higher than those of other fruits after harvest, they can show rapid ripening–senescence phenotypes. Due to the release of ethylene gas and the weak physical properties, they are easily softened and damaged by physical pressure and chilling injuries . Recently, the need for biodegradable packaging materials has been growing in the storage of fruits to increase shelf-life.…”